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DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 25 (UPI) — Secretary of State Colin Powell Saturday said the United States has the backing of at least 12 nations in a possible military strike on Iraq.

The support is "with or without" another U.N. resolution approving a strike, Powell said en route to Davos for the World Economic Forum.

"I don't want to give names or give you a count, because I think each country should speak for itself on a matter as important as this," Powell said. He said the 12 unnamed nations prefer a second U.N. resolution approving military action, but insisted the United States "would not be alone" if it strikes Iraq without a new resolution.

Powell is in Davos to deliver a speech on U.S. foreign policy to the World Economic Forum on Sunday, one day before U.N. weapons inspectors are scheduled to report preliminary findings on Iraqi disarmament to the U.N. Security Council.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday is vital as it brings "the first formal report" on Iraq's compliance with the U.N. Resolution 1441, which demands it comply with many previous resolutions and give up all weapons of mass destruction.

"We'll look in the report. We'll have a lot of questions about what Iraq is doing," he added.

Boucher also urged the international community not to forget that Iraq continues to defy its obligations, and while looking at the report to ask: "Why have there not been any interview with Iraqi scientists without the presence of government minders? Why are aerial reconnaissance missions by U2 spy planes not flown? Why are documents being kept in private homes? Where are the chemical munitions already catalogued? Why has Iraq tested missiles whose range is beyond that allowed?"

Boucher said the United States does not expect to get an advance copy of the report but said the inspectors "do talk over their thoughts, conclusions, observations with a variety of members of the U.N. Security Council, including us."